Noila's story

Noilia knows the importance of handwashing. Before WaterAid came to her village in Timor-Leste, she used to get sick from drinking the dirty water from a bamboo water-system. Unfortunately, algae growth and sunlight meant diseases flourished in the water.

And because there were no toilets, people were forced to defecate in the nearby bushes – a frequent source of illness for the village children.

WaterAid helped provide a gravity-fed water source in Noilia’s village giving her clean water – and a healthier childhood!

Support also helped provide the resources the families needed to build safe toilets, and train them in handwashing and good hygiene practices. Not surprisingly, children like Noilia are proving to be fast learners.

“Because of handwashing with soap, we don’t get diseases like coughing and pain in our stomach,” Noilia says happily.

"Because of handwashing with soap, we don’t get diseases like coughing and pain in our stomach"